WHAT IS YOUR HOME SAYING ABOUT YOU?

WHAT IS YOUR HOME SAYING ABOUT YOU? The health of our homes says a lot about us too!

Your home says a whole lot about you! Just look around! Really, stop and look around! The “health” of your home can be an indicator of how you are doing too! I’m not talking about how pristine everything looks or how well appointed your home decor is. It’s more basic than that. It’s about how well cared for and tidy and welcoming your home is. Today, our Practically Speaking series is about how our home can reflect our own personal health and well-being. 

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Now, let’s talk about our homes…

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING... WHAT OUR HOMES SAY ABOUT US

American women get much of their identity from the homes we live in. A good deal of our self-worth is often defined by our homes. We may not like to hear that and it may seem superficial. But it’s not. Most women are the caregivers of our home and family. And how we care for our homes is often a reflection of how we care for ourselves.

I’m one of those American women who finds a great deal of identity in my home. And it is so true that the condition and health of my home certainly reflect my mental, emotional, and  state!

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING... WHAT OUR HOMES SAY ABOUT US

Since I have been blogging, I can honestly say that my home although much more stylish is certainly messier. And this, at times drives me crazy! A photo shoot or a diy can create a whole lot of upheaval here at StoneGable. And because I am working more than a 40 hour work week, I find that my time to organize and stay on top of things is quite limited. By the end of the day, I often run out of steam!

I tend to keep the “public” areas of my home pretty organized and welcoming but the “private” areas could use a little work. My study for one tends to be a dumping ground for things I don’t have time to put away! And let’s not even talk about my basement.

This causes me a good deal of angst! It’s difficult for me to go into a room that is disorganized and messy. So I usually cope by become “mess-blind”. It’s my way of not really seeing the mess at all! So the mess grows and grows like a snowball rolling downhill! It’s really my way of avoiding the issue of not having enough hours in the day.

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING... WHAT OUR HOMES SAY ABOUT US

 And it makes sense. I am a person who likes to confront issues head on and get on with life. However, if I can’t see a problem I don’t have to deal with it. So becoming mess-blind I can avoid my tendency to be messy when I am overwhelmed. 

If I am honest (and I am a pretty transparent person) I can see from my home that I need a little extra help with what I call “schlep work”.  Putting things away after a photo shoot, carrying things up and down from the basement or other rooms and keeping organized! Schlep work is a very important job! It is the foundation of a tidy home!

This is an area of my home and life I literally need to clean up! 

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING... WHAT OUR HOMES SAY ABOUT US

Some woman can’t stand ANYTHING out of place in their homes, or don’t like to have company because it means messing their perfect home up, or only live in a small part of a larger home. Some of us will give up doing fun and social things because we need stick to a rigid homekeeping schedule. Some of us can’t let go of “things” and have too much that clutter and confuse or lives. All of those home related issues reflect a deeper, inner struggle.

Should we think that if we just clean up our homes our issues that caused them will go away? Have you seen the show Hoarders? I have a feeling that when those nice people have nice, neat homes their homes might be clean for a little while. But I bet most of them eventually get right back into the same mess because they have not dealt with the issues that caused them. 

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING... WHAT OUR HOMES SAY ABOUT US

For me, (let’s use my messy places as an example) I need to re-learn how to put things in their place. And give things I have a home. I like “tidy”. It feels good. It makes me feel like I’m in control. Messy is a sign of things getting out of control.

I need to stop avoiding and start really seeing things like my study for what it really is. And get busy! I also need to hire someone to help me when my work schedule gets too busy.

And because I know that this messy study problem can creep up on me again, I need to be aware of the issue and act to keep it healthy!

PRACTICALLY SPEAKING... WHAT OUR HOMES SAY ABOUT US

Let’s get deep and real about what we see in our homes!

How healthy is your home? How welcoming is your home to you and your family and all who come inside?

We all want homes, no matter how grand or simple, that are a pleasure to live in. Homes that are safe and welcoming. We all want homes that reflect our good attitudes and our positive emotions. 

What does your home say about you?

Now, make sure you check out these beautiful posts!

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Cedar Hill Farmhouse | Round Top Antique Show Shopping Trip

Designthusiasm | Reader Consultation: Adding Sophistcation to a Pretty Room

Maison de Pax | Simple Green and White Easter Tablescape

Savvy Southern Style | French Country Breakfast Room

Shabbyfufu | Comparing Today’s Kitchen Countertop Materials

So Much Better With Age | DIY Vintage Easter Eggs

StoneGable | What is Your Home Saying About You

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WHAT IS YOUR HOME SAYING ABOUT YOU? The health of our homes says a lot about us too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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99 Comments

  1. Doris Campbell says:

    Love your posts. Most of the time I can’t decide what to try first since you make everything seem so easy. Beautiful home! I always enjoy seeing what’s new and what’s next.

  2. Anne Marie says:

    Thanks for the great article.

  3. Faye Hunt says:

    Love this article!
    Please tell me where you found those wonderful bird pillows, and the black checkered ones?them.

    1. Hi Faye, I found the pillows at a Spring Market a few years back. Sorry I have no more info for you!

    2. I have seen the bird pillows on Joss & Main and in Home Goods. I’ve always loved them, too.

  4. I love your honesty! I bet my basement is more messy. I would be mortified if guests saw mine..

  5. Love the black and white kitchen! Mine is done in a similar style, white cabinets and island with black stone countertops and similar style handles.

  6. I like your “mess blind” phrase….you should see my kitchen table….a perfect example that I continue to avoid because I don’t “see” it any more! Thanks for a great article as always! I guess we always have hope that we will get more tidy and less cluttered!

  7. Joyce Kennard says:

    Yvonne, I think this is a good reminder to us all that how our home reflects who we are. Hopefully, our friends and family feel good about us when they enter our home. I hope when you do your kitchen re-do that you don’t remove that large wall clock at your entry into the kitchen. I just love it, and have looked around for a place to hang one like it. No luck. Hope you are recovering well.

  8. Funny how we all have things that drive us crazy. I have this habit of cleaning like crazy right before we travel. So I guess if something happens I have a clean home? Not sure. But do love coming home and having everything it it’s place so I can move it again.
    Love the post.
    Thanks

  9. Excellent article! Our homes reflect our caregiving!

  10. Nan, Odessa, DE says:

    Just noticed the new group of aprons hanging on your hooks. Really like the buffalo check. Would hhave expected it in your
    black and white kitchen. The aprons say “home” to me. I so enjoyed your recent blog on aprons!

  11. I love your plate hooks for your aprons!! So unique! I’m wondering if I could DIY something similar!

  12. Frances Hurst says:

    To me, when rooms or spots get messy, it’s as if the messiness is yelling at me or fingernails on a chalkboard! I can listen for a while, but all of a sudden I can’t take it any longer.

  13. Carrie Bannister says:

    Sometimes when I’m not wanting to host because my house is too messy and not perfect, I thank the Lord for my home. He always changes my attitude and I end up enjoying my guests!

  14. Linda Lubach says:

    I to have a problem with “messy”. I have limited storage, and have recently moved some furniture pieces to different rooms. With back surgery just one month ago. So….the items in drawers that were once in the right place – are now scattered. So that only compounds the problem. Thank you for today’s thoughts, now I need to get that apron out and get busy.
    H

  15. Good question. Answer: I’m only partially sure

  16. So True! I am a part time teacher, and finally realized I need some help keeping up during the school year. A few hours of help a month makes a huge difference

  17. I need to dig deep into my house this spring. We just got back from 3 months away and I worked quickly to be ready for company last night. Now I need to get into the rooms that collect the junk and purge . It is a never ending project.

  18. Yup we are getting ready to sell and I imagine it’s what you feel like everyday, keeping your house always looking nice. NOT an easy job. I have a closet I have to go through & to be honest a whole lot of pictures, not sure how to deal with them. Couple of very large boxes. Again, love your post.

  19. Lots to think about after reading your post today. Enjoy your day. Mine will be spent “attacking” the clutter.

  20. Thank you for this post. I appreciate that you affirm instead of criticize the fact that a woman’s identity is tied to (but not defined by) her home. Your words are so encouraging. I agree with you that making a home beautiful and welcoming is important, and your blogs certainly inspire me to do just that while still helping me keep a healthy perspective.

  21. Carol Davis says:

    You are correct about the hoarders. Know of a lady that purchased a second home because the first was too filled and guess what. Before long the second home started looking like the first one. And the first one cannot be sold until she cleans I out. Very, very sad.

  22. When I was working I had “dumping grounds” , like the dining room table and kitchen desk. I’d clear them off just to have piles again. After I retired we turned the kitchen desk into a coffeee bar and my dining room table is clear, Friends often joke now that it always looks like its just “ready’ for dishes, Since its neat and clear of clutter it is! But you are right in that all that organizing takes TIME. I take the time to put everything back. In its place now, not wait for later. The key is if you don’t have the time, recruit help. Much easier said than done! LOL
    People often walk into my house for the first time and say,” oh this is YOU”. That makes me smile.

  23. Pam Richards says:

    I love your blog. You are so inspiring!

  24. Your house is beautiful! I can study the pictures of your house for hours! What amazes me is that you have a great deal of stuff displayed and it doesn’t look cluttered! I always worry that my house looks cluttered, so I stand back and do a visual survey. Also, I find reading your blog has a tendency to make me hit the stores, which creates storage problems. Lol!

  25. I agree that our homes say a lot about who we are! I am not a fanatic but do like having things in place but as you said finding a home for things I’m not using is my problem . I am working o organizing my seasonal things and weeding out! I want my home to reflect warmth and comfort!

  26. I have the same coffee table! I think we all have spaces or rooms where we use them as “storage” for when guests come. I try to keep the main floor of my house neat and clutter free because clutter drives me nuts!

  27. Teddee Grace says:

    I appreciated your term “mess blind.” It struck home! I live in a one-bedroom apartment and get a lot of enjoyment out of staging all of my rooms for the various seasons and holidays. I just spent a month “doing” spring with a touch of Easter that can disappear after the holiday. During that creative session I had these lovely vignettes springing up throughout my apartment surrounded by utter chaos and I just had to turn a blind eye! It’s finally done…I need to make one more run to my rental storage when I know I’ll have an entire day of sunshine and no wind in which to work…and I can settle down and enjoy my labors. One payoff is that I invite some of the other residents of my apartment building in individually for the grand tour each time I switch things out. They look forward to it and I love it when they say my vignettes look like something out of a magazine!

  28. Great blog post as always

  29. Jana Adams says:

    I love to decorate and have been so inspired by you! My friends ask me to help them and ask how I know what to do…I have to give tribute to you and the other bloggers who pass along such beautiful and inspiring ideas! It’s so fun! Thanks for the info!

  30. Audrey Macri says:

    Your article about the health of our homes reflects on our own personal health is so true. My husband and I have had a very difficult eight years with the economy. He is a real estate developer and we own several thousand square footage of office, retail, and warehouse space. Through these difficult years I found myself getting depressed. Here we were in our mid fiftys and was forced to ecentually retire. Which probably wouldn’t have been a problem except, to keep the business somewhat healthy, we had no choice but to go without any income. I found myself in a position that I never thought I’d be in. We planned for retirement, but not the so called ” perfect storm” that hit us. For the first year I wasn’t willing to accept it and put my head in the sand. My house reflected that. One morning I was sitting and having some coffee when I looked around and realized this was not who I was. It was like life had stopped and my home looked like it. So I went to work. Small projects, things that didn’t cost any money. Collected things we didn’t need and had a garage sale, which gave me a few funds to make extremely wise choices to purchase for either inside or outside. Sometimes it seemed pretty silly, a flower for outside or a tray I could decorate with something I already had. But, it was amazing how much better I felt with just those little new touches. During this process of learning our new life, God has now given us four grandchildren and one on the way in one week. It is amazing how God will give you just what you need at just the right time but not extravagant, just enough.
    So, what have I learned. Less is more, and a clean house is a happy house. I have kept my self busy over these past years and now I look back, and think, God new exactly what I needed. I’m now 62 and my husband is 64. We have been able to finally sell some our
    properties, have lost a lot, but we will be okay, just enough. We still have our home, which we almost lost twice, so am thankful.
    Well, I just wanted to share my story about what I have learned about the health of your house and how it reflects on your own perusal health. So good to see your article and know I wasn’t crazy ?

    1. Hi Audrey, How nice of you to share such an amazing and personal story. And thanks for knowing and reminding us where our blessings come from! Hugs!

    2. genie steger says:

      I really liked Audrey’s reply and her story of less is more. I can identify with her story….Making the best of things and being creative…When I first watched HGTV, they had shows like Decorating on a Dime and Kitty Bartholomew and they were great shows…Now mostly professional decorators and its can make us all feel we must have it all and spend all…Love to hear how regular down earth people decorate and improvise

  31. I couldn’t agree more with your statement that the health of your home can be an indicator of how you are doing as well! Like you, I suffered an injury in December, and am still in rehab. My home reflects it! Your blog is inspiration for me for many ideas–in the future. . .

  32. Thanks for the motivation to aid me in looking past my mess-blinders. I have those “spots” and they are annoying and aggravating…Time to get to work! :0)

  33. I always enjoy visiting your home and love this post. It deserves to be bookmarked and reread from time to time. I find as I get older, I crave more tidiness and serenity.

  34. I work as a Personal Assistant to two families. I can tell you that a large portion of my job is keeping those homes organized because the members have s notorious habit of never putting things back where they belong! As a helpful tip I would challenge us that putting something back where it belongs actually SAVES time as then you are only handling an item once instead of two or three times. It’s a home organization tip that one can train themselves in, but it takes commitment to that principle. When tempted to toss something in the wrong places, just say to yourself, “I’m only making more work for myself by not putting this where it really belongs!” Hope this is helpful.

    1. I love this tip Toni. It makes so much sense.
      Thanks

  35. I was raised by a mother who never tolerated messes. Our house was always spotless and company ready. She trained me from an early age to keep my things clean and organized. I am told that I would clean my room and organize my toys when a friend was coming to play, but then I wouldn’t let them mess up any of my toys that were sitting on the shelf just so!
    God has a sense of humor for sure, because he blessed me with four little boys and I had to retrain myself into making a home, not a museum. I still like a clean, organized space, but not at the expense of my (and everyone else’s) happiness.

  36. I love your weathered urn you use for flowers. Do you remember where you got it?
    You blog always brightens my day and gives me a push?

  37. Just a comment about putting things away: Years ago, I read a suggestion that still guides me. “When you put something down instead of putting it in its proper place, you’re really moving it TWICE”. I remind myself of this, & (most of the time) it helps!
    LOVE your decorating & wonderful words!

  38. My home for the last few years has been not loved as well as it should have been. Going through life issues put allot of things on the back burner. But this year things are much much better, and I’m ready do things that I’ve wanted done for so long.

    Starting with a remodel of the kitchen and dining room. That project will begin this month. New window for the family room. Landscape work with a replacement of my fountain (can’t wait for that as I love sitting on the patio and listening and watching the water flow it’s so relaxing).

    A few weeks ago you did a post and podcast on going from frumpy to fabulous. I took that to heart and walked around my home, made a list of things to be changed. Thanks for opening my eyes. When you see things days on end you lose sight of how it really looks DATED!

    I’m excited for this year ahead (also having a bridal shower for my niece in July). It’s been a challenging past few years but that’s all behind and the future looks bright.

    Thank you for all your inspiration

  39. I love your kitchen. I take a virtual walk in it! Especially love the little water bowl sitting on the mat-a happy sign that there’s a furry friend around the corner. Your home is lovely and bright!

  40. I hope my home says “come in and sit down and enjoy your stay”. I love having company and overnight guests. My home is far from perfect but I know it is always welcoming!

  41. ANNE BRADLEY says:

    I follow you on Bloglovin’. I like how you balance the bold black and white color story with warm woods and taupe, or how you punch up your neutral decor with bold black and white!

  42. Anita roth says:

    What you said about women the caretakers of the home and how our identity is wrapped up in our home is so true for me ! Sometimes I have a hard time trying to help my husband understand this!

  43. Love reading each post & feeling like we are friends! As empty nesters, with a full time job, I have found purging beneficial, physically & mentally. Which then brings me to this post, the less visuals around the calmer and less energy it takes from us. Less time to put items away, less thoughts of “I have a messy home.” This is also true in my elementary classroom, too. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not a minimalist by any stretch and I do have messes but I enjoy walking into our home each evening to a calmness.

  44. Martha Durick says:

    Earlier today I was thing about how well my public spaces look, but what a mess the rest of the house is. Your thought really hir home!

  45. Jenifer Morales says:

    I find that becoming more of a minimalist helps me to keep my surroundings calm and is much easier to keep up. Even though I’m very organized, some of my closet areas and cabinets definitely need some help. Keeping things behind closed doors is tremendous for my sanity!

    1. Hi Jennifer, when you are done with your closets can you come over and organize mine? ha ha!

  46. Darcy Schroeder says:

    I liked this article a lot! My computer room is also a dumping ground for when company comes! I throw everything in here that I am currently working on. I’m really trying to get more organized.

  47. Yvonne, you are so right! A tidy house=a tidy mind. A cluttered house=a cluttered mind. And going clutter-blind is definitely the way I deal with it when I am feeling overwhelmed. And then one day, I wake up and say, Oh boy! What’s going on here??? Time to do something about that mess!!! Until the next time… ?

  48. Years ago, at women’s Bible study, a friend said that she had just heard on the news about local burglaries. So she took some extra time that morning to clean up, as she didn’t want a burglar to find her home messy. Most of us got a laugh over that one. Have been doing some purging myself, this morning. Now to dispose of the “stuff”.

  49. Happy Weekend, Yvonne! Your post about our home’s reflecting our inner health has given me food for thought!

    Fortunately (or unfortunately), since our home is relatively small and the storage space limited, we are “forced” to keep things tidy and organized. (Don’t think I’m not lamenting over “where shall I store it” every time I find a wonderful treasure at the thrift store, however.) Right now I’m struggling with the tendency to display my treasures in an artful manner on the living room open shelves and in the cottage style hutch, while at the same time (as my friend says) not to look like a hoarder.

    Thanks, as always, for your beautiful tips and decorating ideas. This weekend, I’m going to decorate about a half dozen eggs, using your spring paper napkins and Modge Podge instructions. My granddaughter and I made some last year before Easter, and they are gorgeous. I can hardly wait to make more.

    I hope you’re taking care of yourself so that you can readily heal. More than 8 hour work days doesn’t sound very relaxing to me–so indeed, take good care. I’m praying for you.

  50. Robin Talley says:

    Beautiful Photos of your home!!! And very good advice too, enjoyed very much!!

  51. “house proud” is what my mom used to call it…love the post…thanks!

  52. Jill Miglin says:

    Great photos and inspiration!

  53. The day to day mess is an easy and quick cleanup at the end of the day. It’s the long over due cleanup of my attic that has me overwhelmed.
    Every spring I promise my husband I will start purging and every spring turns into summer then winter. And another spring is here, time to start no excuses.

  54. Karen K from Buffalo says:

    My Mother recently passed & I got a lot of her treasures around the house. So it’s a blend of her & me. A house that says love.

  55. Balance! Always balance! Comfy, lived in, purposely imperfect, but not a total disaster in progress. =)

  56. Love your honesty and phrase “mess blind”!
    With just the two of us home now, we tend to live in a few rooms and keeping things in order is easier. But, when our sons, wives, grands are home……every room is lived in. Seems like a hurricane has gone through the house! I have to admit the clutter starts to bother me after a couple of days, but, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now, at 72, restoring order just takes a little longer.
    Always look forward to the next “hurricane” arriving!

  57. I have a problem with messy, can’t do it, gives me anxiety !The older I get, the more I need things
    in place.This house we are in has limited storage, I really had to part with many things.All the more
    reason to be neat and tidy.

  58. Minnie mccoy says:

    Love visiting you and your lovely home!

  59. Hi Yvonne, love this article. My nana used to say, a place for everything and everything in its place. And though wise, it is hard sometimes to follow, i think often because these days we have so much more STUFF than our grandparents days.
    I do love a tidy and clean home, but like you have ‘rooms’ that well, are a tad eeek!! Being disabled i can’t always clean like i would wish to, but as long as my home is presentable, which it usually is, i feel that my guests are coming to see me, and not judge my home.

    Jane in NZ

  60. Yvonne, I am right there with you. My areas are my craft room and the attic. All my other rooms are clean and organized. I think we all have to have a dumping room. I try to organize these areas, but when I am changing seasons or planning a party these areas are a disaster. Thanks for your honesty.

  61. I heard a rule many years ago to help you stay organized . It was never handle an item twice. This refers not only to putting something away when you are done with it but not putting an item somewhere to put it up later. I have three levels in my home and really like stair baskets to organize things that need to go on a different floor. I can consolidate my trips which gives me more time to clean and organize.

  62. Such great ideas!! Thanks so much for posting them!

  63. Just noticed that your banister on your stairs is black. My husband and I are getting ready to paint ours black and was wondering what paint you used. Thanks!

  64. Pat White says:

    Love your style and enjoying your podcast

  65. I have such a hard time keeping the mess under control. Thanks for your honesty!

  66. Diane Emerick says:

    Love your honesty about some areas of your home needing a bit more attention ……when life gets busy I ignore the clutter until I have the time to tend to it!

  67. Your topic really spoke to me. I recently was hospitalized and I am trying to recover and build up my strength. I look around my house and see that it is not as tidy as I would like, and this affects my mood. Patience is a hard lesson to learn. It is all about balance.!!

  68. Love your posts! I needed to hear this today. I want to be a welcoming hostess whether my home is neat and tidy (which it is most of the time) or if a surprise visitor catches me in the middle of a messy project.

  69. Of course I want my home to look like yours but then it would be your home, not mine. I take inspiration here and there but it’s your kitchen that makes me swoon every time. When it comes to clutter, Mr. B can put nothing away so there are his papers and books and STUFF piled in many corners. It used to drive me nuts but I am learning to cope and know that this is his home too. I just thank god that I have plenty of baskets to offer to hide some of it. As always, thanks for your posts – xx-hb

  70. I totally agree that our homes reflect our own health. As you know, I like a NON messy house. I think it is because my Mom was a total mess and from the time I was a little girl, I would come home from school every day and clean and straighten up. The mess made me crazy, even at that young age. I am talking grade school. So, I have been like this all my life. It calms me to have eveything put away and cleaned up. I will say though that when Colleen is here, I don’t let it bother me at all, and just clean up when she goes home. I don’t want to miss ANY time with her! Pinky

  71. Fran Braun says:

    Always something new to learn! Thank you!

  72. Maggie Nelson says:

    I also like clean kitchen and no piles o papers o other stuff around but when it happen or were busy with appointments o meetings o shopping it will pile up things but I don’t let it get to big and I will clean it up and put everything in their place within a couple of days.

  73. Carol Elkins says:

    I liked this article. I never really thought about what my home says about me. Now I do!

  74. Kay Barbree says:

    Thanks so much for this article, Yvonne. I am NOT alone in the struggle to not be “mess-blind”. Having a chronic disease combined with keeping my precious 9 month old grandbaby several days each week has really brought me to the point of surrendering to “mess-blindness..” This article has encouraged me to NOT give up the battle. Thanks again !!!!

  75. So true. Now to get our husbands and kiddos to understand this.

  76. I too, love everything in its place. I used to get very stressed about messes when my children were growing up. Over the years I have learned to let that go and now enjoy my six grandchildren! I have simplified my seasonal decorating.

  77. GREAT post…love reading everyones responses.

    I’m reading a fun little book…L’art de la SIMPLICITE’
    How to Live more with Less by Dominique Loreau
    highly recommend

  78. Your home looks so picture-perfect that it’s easy for me to think that it’s always that way … even those rooms and nooks that are out of sight. It’s comforting to know that you too sometimes have messes to deal with … I’m sure that your messes are temporary, though, and your home is returned to all of its loveliness as soon as possible!

  79. mattsgramma says:

    Loved your post Yvonne. I find it very helpful to clean up as I go when baking or cooking. Also I go through the mail as soon as it comes and recycle all the ” junk” right away. I hate piles and stacks of paper on the counter. That would make me feel ill. I enjoy decorating my home seasonally, both inside and outside. Being incapacitated takes a toll on keeping up. Hope you continue to heal well.

  80. I don’t like to have things not put away either but I’m guilty of not putting things back after company has been in my home. After my grandchildren have been over and pulled things out, it usually takes me a couple of weeks to return to the playroom and get it straightened up completely. I can be “mess blind” also.

  81. I fight this constantly. For now I am resigned to an untidy husband (soon to retire) who hopefully will
    Improve after he is no longer working, three busy bee grandchildren (2 more years of toy explosions….hahah.. Ok, maybe less), getting some furniture recovered/ refinished, or replaced, and finally figuring out why my desk can never seem to function well/ stay tidy.

    The latter I am determined is that the space is all wrong or that I have the wrong organizational items– because it never seems to stay tidy.

    I find that when I get an area “right” I do not find myself constantly redoing it, so simething is definitely off.

    I try to keep the kitchen, foyer, guest bathroom, and family room (sans toy explosions) company ready every day. With three little ones under six it is quite the challenge.

    I do find myself thinking “it’s good enough” or ” it will be better one day”— and sometimes I think that about myself as well— a bit overweight, no makeup, just staying home clothes, etc.– “good enough.” I forget that I should make myself look better and feel better for me and not just company or special occasions! Thank for somewhat reminding me of this.

  82. Ah, the snowball effect! My basement is like snow. I don’t want to see it, and it doesn’t go away. Maybe this summer?

  83. Great inspiration to get my back room decluttered!

  84. Great “preaching-to-yourself” post, Yvonne. You work over 40 hours per week??? I guess that doesn’t really surprise me. When you first started your blog, how much time did you spend each week on it? Say, when you started blogging 3-5 times a week?

    Enjoyed the podcast today! One of my best girlfriends and I are faithful listeners. I was at her home the other night, and we were sharing at the dinner table with her family how we are both listening to DT&T, and we looked at each other, and simultaneously said (in a loud voice), “Your designers are here!” We laughed out loud, and the rest of the family just looked at us like we were crazy. 🙂

    I’m okay with crazy. 🙂

  85. Hey Yvonne my home is tidy and mostly clean all around! I loved your cleaning tips awhile back and they work! Everything is pretty much in order and if someone shows up I’m ok with it! thanks again

  86. In the process of building a new home so your wonderful ideas have helped me so much I am so excited Thanks

  87. I’ve learned SO much from your website, Facebook page & newsletter. Thank you!